There is a song from the ancient ballad tradition that Jean Ritchie brought to New York City during the folk revival called “Lord Randall.”  The scholarship is found in Francis James Child’s “The English and Scottish Popular Ballads” Volume 1, Number 12.  In one of his references, it was found in the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, 1803.  In all the versions cited in this quite thorough scholarship, the song was about an intentional poisoning.  And the vessel for such was, in all cases, a food that was spiked.  In many of the versions, it was either a fish or offering a snake as food!

Jean recorded the song as part of a Smithsonian Folkways album project in 1961, “Jean Ritchie: Ballads From Her Appalachian Family Tradition.”  It is listed as “Lord Randall (Child #12).”  Once again, the amazing facts of the collection, retention and continuation of such ancient artworks in and among the Ritchie generations since their immigration in the 18th century just boggles the mind.

An interesting side note:  It was during the 1960s, when Bob Dylan was in his composing heyday,  the assumption and indeed, the conjecture was made that he had heard Jean’s recording of this song and that the opening lines inspired his song “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.”  I think we can see by the first set of lyrics below why that conjecture was made.

I don’t know the truth about his influences, but the ballad is, even though ultimately tragic, a window into the human nature of those engaged in such sabotage.  It has a wryly-delivered moral:  a warning about a certain dinner menu item, and how tragedy can strike in unexpected places!

Here is More From Wikipedia

Interestingly, Wikipedia sites the Dylan reference in their section on “Cultural Uses.”

In 1962, Bob Dylan modeled his song “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” on “Lord Randall,” introducing each verse with variants of the introductory lines to each verse of “Lord Randall”. Dylan’s ballad is often interpreted as a reaction to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Dylan himself disclaimed this as an oversimplification, and in reality, Dylan first publicly performed the song a month before the crisis.

LORD RANDALL (Ritchie Family Version)

Oh, where have you been Lord Randall my son?
Oh, where have you been my handsome young one?
I’ve been to the wild wood, mother make my bed soon,
For I’m weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.

Where did you get dinner Lord Randall my son?
Oh, where did you get dinner, my handsome young man?
I dined with my true love, mother make my bed soon,
For I’m weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.

What did you eat for your dinner Lord Randall my son?
Oh, what did you eat for your dinner, my handsome young man?
I had eels biled [boiled] in broth, mother make my bed soon,
For I’m weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.

What’s become of your bloodhounds Lord Randall my son?
What’s become of your bloodhounds, my handsome young man?
Oh, they swelled and they died, mother make my bed soon,
For I’m weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.

Oh, I fear you were poisoned Lord Randall my son,
I fear you were poisoned, my handsome young man,
Oh, yes I am poisoned, mother make my bed soon,
For I’m sick at my heart and I fain would lie down.

What’ll you leave your old father Lord Randall my son?
What’ll you leave your old father, my handsome young man?
My castle and land, mother make my bed soon,
For I’m sick at my heart and I fain would lie down.

What’ll you leave your old mother Lord Randall my son?
What’ll you leave your old mother, my handsome young man?
My gold and my silver, mother make my bed soon,
For I’m sick at my heart and I fain would lie down.

What’ll you leave your own true love Lord Randall my son?
What’ll you leave your own true love, my handsome young man?
Oh, I’ll leave her hell fire, mother make my bed soon,
For it’s now I am dying and I got to lie down!

So, friends, make sure to wash all produce before consuming, and watch out for any vindictive old love interests! Oh, and especially watch out for the eels…….!

As always, thanks for reading!

Love and Blessings,
Susie
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Award-winning recording artist, Broadway singer, journalist, educator and critically-acclaimed powerhouse vocalist, Susie Glaze has been called “one of the most beautiful voices in bluegrass and folk music today” by Roz Larman of KPFK’s Folk Scene.  LA Weekly voted her ensemble Best New Folk in their Best of LA Weekly for 2019, calling Susie “an incomparable vocalist.”  “A flat out superb vocalist… Glaze delivers warm, amber-toned vocals that explore the psychic depth of a lyric with deft acuity and technical perfection.”  As an educator, Susie has lectured at USC Thornton School of Music and Cal State Northridge on “Balladry to Bluegrass,” illuminating the historical path of ancient folk forms in the United Kingdom to the United States via immigration into the mountains of Appalachia.  Susie has taught workshops since 2018 at California music camps RiverTunes and Vocáli Voice Camp.  She is a current specialist in performance and historian on the work of American folk music icon, Jean Ritchie.  Susie now offers private voice coaching online via the Zoom platform.   www.susieglaze.com